A Field Guide to App Studio Controls
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Here are AppStudio's screen controls.
The appearance of these controls will differ based on the device they are running on, based on factors such as screen size, default UI specifications and operating system.
AppStudio supports multiple frameworks: jQuery Mobile, iWebKit and jqWidgets. A framework is a set of controls which share underlying formatting structures.
Each framework has its own features and advantages. If all your controls are from the same framework, your app size will be minimized and will have the most consistant look and feel.
- jQuery Mobile provides a set of attractive and powerful controls. They are not small, but run on a wide variety of platforms. It is open source and being very actively developed.
- The jqWidgets controls are a set of advanced controls that provide some amazing functionality. Full details can be found at jqWidget's website. The controls are free for non commercial use, $99 otherwise.
- iWebKit is deprecated. They are no longer being maintained by their developer.
jQuery Mobile Controls
Here is an actual AppStudio App which uses them:
{{#widget:Iframe
|url=http://www.nsbasic.com/KitchenSink
|width=322
|height=480
|border=0
}}
General controls - all frameworks
Grid
Use the Grid to display data that is in a table. You can specify titles, the number of rows and columns, together with their heights and widths, at design time. The value are filled in at runtime.
InputBox and NSB.InputBox
The InputBox brings up a one line modal input field. Use NSB.InputBox if you want to specify your own title. Both "Message area" and "Default text" can be set at runtime.
MsgBox and NSB.MsgBox
The MsgBox is a modal box that can be used to give messages to the user. It has the option of having a Cancel button as well. Use NSB.MsgBox to specify your own title, have multiple OK/Cancel buttons and to use custom icons.
jqWidgets Controls
jqWidgets is platform independent, cross-browser compatible framework which works on PC and mobile devices.
It is a commercial product, which depending on how you use it, requires a license fee. Complete details are here. The product is well supported.
Complete documentation is at jqWidgets.com.
Using jqWidgets
The jqWidgets samples use jqWidgets files directly from their website. This may not be best for you, since they can change these files at any time. A better way to use jqWidget's library is to download the files from jqWidgets, then copy the jqwidgets folder from it into your project folder.
Then, in the Project Properties of each jqWidgets control you use, change the value of 'pathTo_jqWidgets' to 'jqwidgets/'. Deploy will then use your copy of the files, not the ones on jqWidget's website. You will have control of when the files get updated.
Buttons
jqWidget's buttons have some features not found in other buttons: repeating and toggle among them.
Calendar
jqxCalendar represents a jQuery calendar widget that enables the user to select a date using a visual monthly calendar display.
Chart
There's a powerful charting control. It can do column, line, area, stacked area, pie, bubble and scatter charts.
CheckBox
The jqxCheckBox widget displays a check box that allows the end-user to select a true, false or indeterminate condition.
ColorPicker
The ColorPicker control lets you easily select a color.
DateTimeInput
jqxDateTimeInput represents a highly configurable widget for displaying and selecting date and time values by using a popup Calendar display or by keyboard input into the text field.
Docking
jqxDocking represents a jQuery widget which allows you to manage multiple windows and even the layout of your web page. Each window in the jqxDocking can be resized, dragged around the Web page, docked into docking zones, removed from the docking, collapsed into a minimized state to hide its content, expanded to display its content or pinned in place. With the jqxDocking API, you can Save or Load the Docking's Layout in JSON.
DragDrop
jqWidgets can make any other control draggable. An event can be fired when it is dragged onto another control.
Editor
jqxEditor represents a ready-for-use HTML text editor which can simplify web content creation or be a replacement of your HTML Text Areas.
Grid
The Grid is a powerful jQuery widget that displays tabular data. It offers rich support for interacting with data, including paging, grouping, sorting, filtering and editing.
Input
The Input widget provides suggestions while you type into the field. The datasource is a simple array, provided to the control using the "source" property.
ListBox
The jqxListBox represents a jQuery listbox widget that contains a list of selectable items.
MaskedInput
The jqxMaskedInput widget uses a mask to distinguish between proper and improper user input. You can define phone number, ssn, zip code, dates, etc. masks by setting the jqxMaskedInput mask property.
Menu
jqxMenu represents a jQuery menu widget that makes it easy to add menus to your app. With the jqxMenu you can create website menus, customized context menus, or application-style menu bars with just a small amount of scripting.
jqxNavigationBar is a versatile jQuery widget for building collapsible side-menu systems. It has header and content sections(like tabs). Users can expand or collapse a content section by clicking its associated header.
PasswordInput
jqxPassword manages inputting passwords. It features the ability to measure the strength of passwords.
PhotoGallery
yqxPhotoGallery displays a slide show of images.
Rating
The rating control lets you enter and display a number of stars in a row.
RadialGauge
jqxRadialGauge displays an indicator within a range of values. Gauges can be used in a table or matrix to show the relative value of a field in a range of values in the data region, for example, as a KPI. It supports SVG and VML rendering.
SwitchButton
It's a simple on/off toggle, but has some nice customization features.
Tabs
Tabs let you organize more information on the screen.
Tree
jqxTree represents a jQuery Tree widget that displays a hierarchical collection of items. You can populate it from 'UL' or by using its 'source' property.
Validator
jqxTree represents a jQuery Tree widget that displays a hierarchical collection of items. You can populate it from 'UL' or by using its 'source' property.
Window
jqxTree represents a jQuery Tree widget that displays a hierarchical collection of items. You can populate it from 'UL' or by using its 'source' property.
MultiMedia Controls
Audio
The Audio control contains a sound and has the ability to play and pause it. It can show its controls or be invisible.
HTMLview
The HTMLView is used to display HTML formatted text. It can include any valid HTML, including links, JavaScript and CSS. It supports multi touch gestures.
Image
The Image control is used to display images. They can be jpg, gif, png or bmp. An image can be clickable, making it an easy to use PictureButton. It can also be moved at runtime, as a sprite.
PictureBox
PictureBox allows you to draw images, text and graphics. It's based on HTML5's Canvas type and has numerous features.
Video
The Video control contains a sound and has the ability to play and pause it. It can show its controls or be invisible. On some devices, it takes over the entire screen while it is playing.
Financial & Social Media Controls
AdSense
The Adsense control allows you to earn money from advertising in your app.
The Facebook control lets you add a 'like' button to your app.
PayPal
The PayPal control provides an easy way to collect a payment or a donation from a user. Tapping on it will bring up the PayPal Payments screen with the user and amount filled in - all they have to do is approve the transation. To use it, you need to have a PayPal Merchant Account (easy to set up), and use Merchant Services to create a button. Use the ID number it gives you in the properties of the button, and specify whether this is a Donation or Purchase. This feature will be handy for those selling commercial or donationware apps..
The Twitter control allows lets people follow your app.
Date and Time Controls
Date
The Date control allow you to enter dates. (iOS 5+)
DateTime
The Datetime control allow you to enter dates and times. (iOS 5+)
Month
The Month control allow you to enter a month and year. (iOS 5+)
Time
The Time control allow you to enter a time. (iOS 5+)
iWebKit Controls (deprecated)
iWebKit has been deprecated. Support will be removed from AppStudio in an upcoming release.
Button
The Button control is used to cause an action in your program.
ButtonBar
The ButtonBar control lets you arrange two or three buttons, either as a titlebar or lower down on the form. This are usually used for apps with multiple forms to switch between. Each form will have a buttonbar control on it, with a different button highlighted.
Checkbox
A Checkbox control is used to select a true or false value. It can have one or more items.
ComboBox
Use the ComboBox to select a value from a list. The list is populated at runtime.
Menu
The Menu control give you a list of buttons to control actions. There can be one or more of them.
MenuNumberTitleDescArrow
The MenuNumberTitleDescArrow control shows a number (or word), title, optional description and an arrow. There can be one or more of them.
MenuNumberTitleTime
The MenuNumberTitleTime control shows a number (or word), title and optional time. There can be one or more of them.
MenuTextBlock
The MenuTextBlock control shows blocks of text and an arrow. There can be one or more of them.
MultiInput
MultiInput allows you to have one or more input fields in a column. For each row, you can specify a placeholder, a default value and an input type (text, number, etc). It also has the option of putting a title in each input box.
NSB.ShowProgress
NSB.ShowProgress lets you put a temporary message on the screen. It can be dismissed by the user or by the app at any time.
Slider
The Slider control allows you to have an input slider. (iOS 5++).
RadioButton
The RadioButton presents a list of choices which are mutually exclusive. Selecting one deselects any others. (This control replaced OptionButton.)
TextArea
TextArea is a multiline input area. You can also specify autocapitalize, autocomplete and autocorrect.
TextBox
TextBox is a single line input area. You can specify the type of input that is allowed: email, number, password,search, tel, text or url. Depending on the device you are running on, the appearance and pop up keyboard will be customized for the input type. You can also specify autocapitalize, autocomplete and autocorrect.
TitleBar
The TitleBar control sets the top bar on the screen. It has optional buttons on each side: either navigation style (arrow shaped) or plain. The buttons can have the default color or be blue. There are also a number of graphics that are substituted for specific button names.